


The Syco Brotherhood of Love

by anonymousorly



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Big Time Rush appearance, Cults, Gangs, M/M, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-24 04:50:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/630614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymousorly/pseuds/anonymousorly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Syco Brotherhood of Love was a well-known cult of England. Louis Tomlinson was in his last year at university studying International Business with a side focus on Literature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pilot, 1/2

The Syco Brotherhood of Love was a well-known cult of England. Despite its membership being quite small compared to other less-known groups, Syco was the infamous one that every British citizen was aware of and feared about. The group itself was fairly harmless and kept to themselves but the fear was created by the fact that, once in a rare while, a normal person would fall into the trap and never escape.

The Syco Brotherhood of Love was private, fascinated about, and peaked curiosity. Not many - if anyone at all - knew what they did behind closed doors. The members weren't excluded from society but never did they wander alone or talk to outsiders. They were easy to point out due to a swirl tattooed on their left wrist and thin leather bracelet on their right. Speculations of the meanings were nothing more than just that - as if Simon Cowell, the Brotherhood's founder and leader, would be so obvious.

Louis Tomlinson was in his last year at university studying International Business with a side focus on Literature. He lived in an off-campus apartment with his buddy Niall, who he met in his second year in the library when both were pulling all-nighters and wanted to order pizza at 3:34AM before the campus restaurant closed. They became instant friends, laughing and studying until their 9:00AM classes.

On the first day of classes, Louis was sitting in the second to last row by the window, so he could stare out if the history lesson was too boring, when three students entered the classroom with such a presence that conversations paused and the professor even stuttered in her pre-lecture discussion as she glanced at them. They were all thin and their skin seemed to glow, covered by plain tees and tight jeans. Most obvious, though, were the decorated wrists and dark aura.

Louis knew Liam and Zayn since his first year. Zayn had lived down the hall from him in the starter dorms and Liam had attended the same orientation. The two were always together and kept to themselves at all times, never once attending sporting events or social activities of the university’s or their peers.

He spoke to Zayn on occasion, since they studied the same subject and were in the same year, but it was always brief and mindless. Liam, on the other hand, frightened him with his strong, silent, and intimidating persona.

The third guy between them - tall; lanky; dark hair; tattooed left wrist; bracelet on the right - was unknown to Louis as he was guided in a trance by the other two to the back row on the opposite side of the room. He kept his chin down while Liam pulled out a chair and Zayn sat him down by his shoulders. The tables were meant to seat pairs but the three managed, Zayn and Liam on either side of the unknown student.

Five minutes later, the professor officially started class with the roll-call and Louis glanced at Zayn when he was called. They exchanged small polite smiles before turning away. Brotherhood or not, they had been through four years of the same courses together and had finally reached the end. It was something shared that they could acknowledge.

"Ah, a transfer," the professor said eventually and smiled at the guy between Zayn and Liam. "Harold Styles."

"Harry," Liam responded with a stern voice and only a couple of students weren't afraid to turn in their seats and look back. "A third-year from Cheshire studying Literature."

Harry's eyes scanned across the room cautiously as the professor welcomed him and continued on. Louis' name was next and when he rose his hand to confirm his attendance, Harry's line of vision focused on him. Louis saw the stare out of the corner of his eye and looked back, not as frightened as he probably should've been. Harry's eyes were green and vibrant but intense and fiery, contrasting his calm features and smooth face.

Harry turned away and the professor handed out a syllabus for the semester. Louis saw that Liam had a firm grip on Harry's knee and frowned.

***

"Party at Eleanor's tonight," Niall informed him as they ate lunch in the crowded cafeteria later that afternoon.

Louis gave a nod and chewed quickly on his cheeseburger, eyes concentrating on pushing the melting cheese that was falling down the side back under the bun. "A Brotherhood kid is in my class. A new student."

Niall hummed around the straw that was in his soda can and licked his lips. "Heard about that. He's apparently a Syco prodigy but God knows if that's true. Liam fucking tripped a first-year for staring too long in the coffee line this morning, mate. You'd think that stick in his ass would loosen, being his last year and all."

Louis shook his head and licked his ketchup-stained fingers. "Nah, I wouldn't think that."

"Truth." Niall burped quietly and ate a spoonful of mashed potatoes. "Anyway, Kendall and James are gonna come and pre-game around nine. 20 pence you fuck Kendall by midnight."

Louis rolled his eyes even though Niall was probably right. Him and Kendall had a history-slash-habit of hooking up frequently when at parties together. They were attracted to each other as it was but the added intoxication heightened it, making the pull unavoidable.

After getting together drunkenly for a couple months during their second year, Kendall suggested they go on a sober, legit date and Louis accepted eagerly. However, it was a disappointment because something just didn't line up correctly. Kendall was fucking gorgeous and found Louis beautiful, he appreciated Louis' sense of humor and made him laugh, the conversation flow had been flawless...yet both felt that something wasn't right. Neither talked about it and no other date followed.

They hung out sometimes and texted stupid things but nothing more - aside from drunken sex on a weekly basis. It was an arrangement both liked because it was easygoing, not stressful, non-committal, and didn't distract from school, all while satisfying their sexual needs and life frustrations. No one would ever hear either complain.

Louis walked outside with his half-finished Mountain Dew bottle and Niall by his side as they made their way across campus from the main building to the library and resource center. They reached the busy quad, full of students lying on the grass and catching up about summer, when he heard his name called.

It didn't take him long to find Zayn, Harry, and Liam squished on a bench. Zayn waved him over with one hand while the other massaged the back of Harry's head. Liam had an arm around Harry's shoulders, either protectively or possessively, that tightened when Louis looked their direction.

Niall sighed quietly, pulling on the strap of his backpack, "God they're fucking weird."

"He probably wants to talk about senior seminar.” Louis lifted his shoulders and turned back to Niall.

"Fuuuck." Niall smacked his forehead, fingers running through his hair. "Fucking sen-sem, man. Fucking forgot about that shit. Fuck."

"You have seven months, Mr. Clinical Psychology," Louis reminded him with a pat on the back and sympathetic expression. "Wait here."

Louis approached Zayn with a soft smile, fingers stuffed in his jean’s front pockets, and Harry noticeably tensed up and pressed closer to Liam as he got closer, head down and palms resting on his scary-thin thighs.

"Hey, Tommo. Good summer?" Zayn conversely asked but Louis could tell it was forced, as all their exchanges unrelated to business were.

"Alright. Yours?"

Zayn shrugged and pulled out his cell phone from the small messenger bag at his feet. "I got a new phone and number so I'll need yours again."

Louis hadn't actually expected an answer about Zayn's summer but that didn't prevent him from being cordial.

Once a month for one or two days, Zayn and Liam missed classes. It was for Syco reasons but absolutely no one knew why or what for. The time they missed would be punishable to any other student but Simon Cowell himself gained them pardon from the university president. Three years ago, that visit made national news and the granted absence announcement was beyond controversial. The president stood his ground and made a sly comment about student safety being most important. Everyone shut up after that.

Louis put in Zayn's new number and tucked the phone away in his back pocket, looking at Liam. "Good summer, Payne?"

Liam gave a stiff smile as his only reply, eyes dark and fingers digging into Harry's shoulder.

He had a clear distaste for all people that weren’t part of the Brotherhood but his attitude toward Louis seemed so much worse, with the way his face would tense and guard would heighten. Louis’ only conclusion was because he talked to Zayn once in a blue moon while Liam refused to seek out the help of anyone.

Louis turned to Harry next, holding out his hand. "Hi, Harry. I'm Louis."

"He knows," Liam snapped and Harry's eyes were less bright when they met Louis'. "Nice seeing you-"

Louis continued, lowering his hand and ignoring Liam's obvious irritation and cue to leave. "You transferred here? Where from?"

"Bye, Louis," Zayn practically hissed, aggressively ending the interaction, and held Harry’s thick curls tighter.

Possessive, Louis decided, not protective.

Louis was known as being friendly and approachable, so it was no surprise to the three or passersby that he was taking time for the strange cult kids. He was the only one to talk to the strange cult kids and the only one Zayn acknowledged that wasn't one of them. Rumors spread like wildfire when they first started talking during their first year but they ended just as fast, as many Syco gossip did.

Louis looked at each of their faces, defensive and sinister, before resting on Zayn. "See you in the morning at sen-sem, then."

The way Harry's fingers brushed over the leather bracelet didn't get passed Louis as he walked away. Zayn and Liam always kept to themselves but never were as dominant as they were with Harry. It wasn’t strange but was unusual. Maybe Harry was a certain special something.

***

Louis leaned against Kendall's side, arm around his waist and mouth to his ear. "Ya got this, mate. Remember: float like a butterfly."

Kendall took a deep breath, rose his hand, and released the pong ball...

Overthrow.

"Ha!" Niall clapped once and jumped in the air, his partner James celebrating just as obnoxiously next to him as the other two groaned. "Still undefeated champs, nine months and counting!"

"Summer doesn't count," Kendall slurred in a weak protest, Louis' face hidden in his shoulder, before chugging the final beer cup.

"It does!" Niall pointed a threatening finger at them. "We weren't defeated in that time, school or not. Therefore, it counts!"

"Wooow." Louis peaked at Niall through spinning eyes. "You should study philosophy. Really."

James laughed hard and Niall gaped. "I am more insulted than I should be by that statement."

Kendall ran a hand up Louis' back and kissed the side of his head, gaining his attention from the two loud drunks across from them. "'m sorry."

“Nah.” Louis wrapped both arms around Kendall’s waist and hummed, pressing their foreheads together. “Got all yea’ t’ kick ‘is ass.”

Niall and James had already disappeared in search of another team to defeat and the few people that remained surrounding the pong table were either too drunk to notice how Louis and Kendall were acting or too familiar with the scenario to be shocked, disgusted, or any other emotion.

Kendall kissed Louis, light and quick. “Missed ya. A lot, really.”

“Mmm, make it up to me?” Louis whispered and licked his lips, eyes half-open and smoky.

Kendall grabbed Louis’ wrists, taking them from around his waist, and led the way to Eleanor’s bedroom, which had been a victim many of times of their sneak-aways and quickies. She didn’t mind, thought it was funny, so long as one of them changed the sheets. Louis usually remembered the next morning if he wasn’t still drunk from the previous night.

Niall paused his enthusiastic persuasion speech to a pair of shy sophomores and instead focused on Kendall disappearing inside Eleanor’s dark bedroom with Louis close behind.

Just as Louis was about to close the door, his eyes connected with Niall’s humored ones.

Niall laughed and whooped, throwing his arms in the air and gaining the attention of most of the apartment. Louis _had_ to watch him, Kendall pressing against his back and doing the same over his shoulder. "Final year, motherfuckers! Let’s make it a year to fucking forget!”

Louis smirked as Niall winked at him and mouthed “20 pence.” Shaking his head, he turned back to Kendall and locked the door. If he didn’t remember a single thing of his last year, he wouldn’t mind because he knew the stories people told him during the morning-afters would be just as memorable. His coursework would be difficult but he would manage to find time for his social life through it all; he always did.

Louis Tomlinson could handle having a cruise-control year - it’s just that he wouldn’t get it.


	2. Pilot, 2/2

Louis groaned as he heard his cell phone’s high-pitched alarm go off, muffled but still annoyingly loud to his pounding head. Shaky from the hangover and lack of sleep, he sat up and leaned over Kendall’s smooth chest to silence the terrible beeping, which was covered under a pair of briefs, before falling onto his back and running a hand down his face.

Kendall hummed sleepily and snuggled up to Louis’ side, arm thrown across his chest and legs trapped between shorter, muscular ones. “Too early,” he mumbled with eyes closed and a smack of his lips.

“It’s International Business, meaning it’s late afternoon somewhere in the world,” Louis replied hoarsely and ran his fingers through Kendall’s tangled hair, who chuckled and buried his face against Louis’ elbow. “’s only once a week. Fuck, no more Monday parties. Never.”

“Yeah right.” Kendall rose his spinning head and blinked slowly at Louis with a lazy smile. “Few more kisses?”

And with the way Kendall rolled his thin frame on top of Louis, he would be out of his mind to refuse such a request.

***

Wearing the same pants as the previous day but switching shirts with Kendall so it didn’t seem so obvious that he hadn’t showered, Louis sat among the small group of his senior seminar course. He examined each face before class started and was pretty sure he was the only one hungover. He definitely wasn’t drinking on Mondays anymore.

Zayn sat by himself at a table off to the side and made a point to not meet anyone else’s eyes. Sure, this small group had been together since their first year but Zayn never fully allowed himself to become a true part of it, refusing group studies and get-togethers. It wasn’t that no one offered - they had plenty of times - but they stopped mid-second year because they already knew what his answer to an invite would be.

The seminar professor, Dr. Winston, presented each student with a thick packet containing information about the course, broken down by the two upcoming semesters and overall year.

“You have the option of creating a project from original research, previous research evaluation, creative scenario or project, material development, or any other idea you may have that’s given my approval.

“Due to the importance and severity of this course and its final presentation, you are required to have a partner that you can contact and communicate with for ideas, review, opinions, and the like. You will submit progress and drafts periodically to them and the reviews will be handed in as part of both grades.”

Louis couldn’t stop his swimming head - fuck Niall and his fucking beer pong - from turning to Zayn, who’s curved his neck to look at him immediately. The honey eyes softened at the contact and conveyed understanding to the tired blue ones.

They were to be partners.

Louis liked the rest of his International Business peers but they were all so uptight and serious compared to his easygoing nature. He tried getting them to loosen up a lot over the years but didn’t succeed. Part of him liked their seriousness because it kept him in check - Niall’s psych peers were just as terrible as he was - but it was often frustrating because there was _no way_ they could love school that much and they came off as mildly pretentious.

Yeah, if Louis had to partner with anybody, he’d rather be with the strange cult lad than the serious pretentious kids.

The rest of the four-hour class passed in a haze as they looked over past projects and asked questions. Louis could barely keep his head up and snuck out five minutes early to race down to the cafeteria for food. Not eating to soak up the sitting alcohol in his stomach was his first mistake, really.

He sat in a booth with a large piece of pizza, french fries, and extra large coke. If that didn’t help clear his head, he didn’t know what would.

Niall found him ten minutes later, wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses and stating that he missed his 11:00AM class. Louis pushed his basket of fries in front of him and replied that Mondays were off limits, they were seniors and had to act accordingly.

Niall chuckled, dipping three fries in ketchup, “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

***

Louis’ last class of the day was Comparative Literature at two. He took a seat near the front because the class actually interested him. Comparing great works of the English language, debating and analyzing? Why wouldn’t it?

Dr. Sheeran was about to start attendance when Harry came through the door, at the very second the big hand of the clock ticked perfectly over the two, and seemingly glided passed the professor to the back row of the classroom. All eyes followed the tall young man until he sat down and could see them all staring, in which everyone spun back around toward the front of the room.

The course description, required readings and materials, timeline, and expectations were gone over and Louis’ mind began to stray. He had enough of syllabi and teachers reminding him that he only had four unexcused absences before he was docked points from his final grade.

He looked over his shoulder slowly and at Harry in the back, who had his posture straight, shoulders down, hands folded on his lap, and eyes unblinking at the thin packet on the desk in front of him.

Getting a longer look at him now, Louis saw that the extremely creamy skin _was_ in fact glowing and it set his mind off into a frenzy of confusion. How could an expression, attitude, and eyes be so dark yet include such a bright exterior? Zayn was the same way while Liam’s glow was dimmed by how hard and daunting he came off.

Through it all, Louis found Harry to be fucking beautiful and he spun back around in his seat before he was caught, missing how Harry’s eyes darted to the back of his head because he felt the gaze the entire time.

***

On Friday night, Niall and Louis hosted a party in celebration of finishing the first week, complete with a beer pong table in the living room and three kegs in the kitchen.

Conversations were no longer about summer but school; what classes and teachers they like and dislike, what work they’re looking forward to and despising, gossip about other students, complaints and compliments about the university cuisine, and the like.

The two were excellent hosts because they took turns checking up on everyone and boozing ridiculously. One minute, Niall would be greeting newcomers through the door as Louis did a group shot, and the next, Louis would be offering refills for the quiet ones while Niall did a kegstand.

“Lou has history with all three o’ them,” Niall said from the couch between Louis and James as he waited for the teams of three to finish their beer pong battle. “That Harry lad is ten times weirder than those other two combined.”

Louis brought his plastic cup up and bit on the edge to keep himself from saying anything. He was in that frame between tipsy and buzzed, where he’s willing to say whatever comes to his mind because nothing matters and he wanted to share. However, he didn’t want to share with everyone how gorgeous he found the weird new cult lad. He didn’t want to share with everyone how he stared at Harry and discovered how wonderful his facial structure was.

No, he wasn’t buzzed enough for that but _was_ tipsy enough get squirmish by his thoughts, and he downed the rest of his drink to distract his mind away from Harry and to the bitter rum.

“Liam’s in my Mathematics and Philosophy class,” James added just as Kendall entered the room, handing Louis a new full glass and sitting at his feet. “He’s fucking smart as hell.”

“I think they all are,” Louis decided to finally say and put the new cup into the empty one, legs surrounding Kendall below him. “Like, they must be - for missing so much and not participating and doing…doing whatever it is they do and still getting shit done proficient enough.”

James hummed in thought and consideration while Niall scoffed and took a sip of his beer. “Or all the teachers are fucking terrified of grading them anything lower than average because of the repercussions that will come from it.”

“That Syco Brotherhood is just fucked up, mates,” Kendall offered, too drunk to pay much attention and process the content of what was being said. “Psycho Syco is more like it.”

It was an old joke but everyone busted out laughing regardless. Louis ruffled his hair proudly, _I know this funny lad, mates, he’s my hook-up, mine_.

The laughter died down but the conversation continued.

James said in a quieter voice, “I heard Liam talking on the phone once. It was, like, early last year or some’in, I dunno-”

“I remember this,” Kendall piped in as Louis massaged the back of his head.

“-but he was babblin’ about progress and…and, like, the ways of the heart, I dunno, it was fucked up shit. But he ended up shouting, ‘You made a pact to die for loyalty. You’ll die for disobeying instead, coward,’ and hung up. Scary shit, lads.”

“Liam’s kinna the ringleader, inhe?” Niall pondered, tapping his fingers on his can. “He almost always walks in front and chooses where they sit. He usually has one hand on Zayn…maybe Harry now, too, dunno.”

“Horan, Maslow, you play Calder and Grimshaw.”

“Fuck,” Niall mumbled and his eyes nervously scanned the current winners as they reset the table, finishing the rest of his beer as James pat him on the back and stood up.

Louis chuckled and put his chin on Niall’s shoulder, previous conversation forgot and thoughts of Harry’s attractiveness abandoned. “What happened to all that undefeated confidence?”

“I drank it away three beers ago while I was waiting for their slow-as-hell asses.” Niall sighed and kissed Louis’ forehead, affectionately yet drunkenly. “Always a winner in your heart?”

“Mhm.” Niall grinned and stood up, Kendall instantly sliding up to the vacant space and pressing against Louis. “Unless you lose.”

“Fuck you.”

Kendall gasped. “That’d be fun!”

Niall creased his eyebrows at the severely intoxicated man and shook his head, walking to the far side of the pong table.

Louis draped an arm around the back of Kendall’s shoulders and smiled lazily when he started to lightly kiss his neck. “Threesome with Niall, eh?”

“Think he’d be better than Jim-Jim?”

Louis snorted. The three made a promise to never talk about the drunken rendezvous of junior year, which meant, of course, that everyone found out the next morning. James Maslow wasn’t as straight as everyone once thought, though the involvement of Louis Tomlinson and Kendall Schmidt would be difficult for anyone to deny.

Kendall ran his hands up Louis’ shirt and stomach. “Last Year Goal: Niall.”

“That’ll be a tricky one, love,” Louis warned as his fingernails grazed across Kendall’s back. “Don’t be disappointed if-”

“I wo’.” Kendall brought their foreheads together. “Kiss me.”

***

“I’m considering internet marketing in Asia or Europe,” Louis explained to Zayn in one of the many group study rooms on the library’s third floor the next week, without hangover, “evaluating the similarities and differences compared to other media while creating my own examples to demonstrate my reasons and stating my expected outcomes.”

Zayn nodded once as he looked over Louis’ messy outline, scratches and bullets scattered across the lined page but still legible to the typical student. “That’s interesting. I took many communication courses, so I could definitely help with that.”

Louis pushed his crinkled pieces of paper to the side and brought forward Zayn’s open notebook.

“I want to do research about business strategies based on religious affiliations around the globe, probably by country, and consumer response toward opposing messages…”

They brainstormed for about an hour and only came to a stop after Zayn’s phone went off.

He gave the device a quick glance and cleared his throat, lowered guard progressively increasing. How fast the transition was sent chills across the top of Louis’ shoulders and back. “I need to leave now. But I’ll definitely e-mail you the start of my references by the end of next week.”

“Same here,” Louis replied, starting to pack up his textbooks and binders.

“Also, I won’t be here Thursday and Friday.” Louis froze and looked up at Zayn, who was standing and already making his way toward the door. “So, either e-mail me by Wednesday to look them over, otherwise I’ll just get back to you Monday. It shouldn’t be a big deal.”

Louis had a personality type that was personable, open, and thrived on all social situations that included awkwardness. Based on this fact, he honestly couldn’t help himself from asking in a twisted humor sort of way, “Why won’t you be here?”

Zayn tensed considerably, spine stiff and shoulders raised, and glanced over his shoulder at Louis irritably and somewhat offended. “For the exact same reason I’ve missed classes once a month since our first year,” he answered resonantly yet sharply. “Bye, Louis.”


End file.
